The Game Critics Awards for the Best of E³ have been held annually at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³) since 1998. The award givers are independent of the expo organizers.

Award winners

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Note on "all systems" as platform: Because games shown at E³ are still in development, the platforms for which the game is published might still be in question.

Best of Show

2006 : Wii

2005 : Spore (for PC)

2004 : PSP

2003 : Half-Life 2 (for PC)

2002 : Doom 3 (for PC)

2001 : Nintendo GameCube

2000 : Black and White (for PC)

1999 : Freelancer (for PC)

Best Original Game

2006 : Spore (for PC)

2005 : Spore (for PC)

2004 : Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (for Nintendo GameCube)

2003 : Full Spectrum Warrior (for Xbox, PC)

2002 : Psychonauts (for Xbox)

2001 : Majestic (for PC)

2000 : Black and White (for PC) ^*

1999 : Black and White (for PC) ^*

Best Console Game

2006 : Gears of War (for Xbox 360)

2005 : Twilight Princess (for Nintendo GameCube)

2004 : Halo 2 (for Xbox) ^*

2003 : Halo 2 (for Xbox) ^*

2002 : The Wind Waker (for Nintendo GameCube[)

2001 : Sons of Liberty (for PlayStation 2)

2000 : Jet Grind Radio (for Sega Dreamcast)

1999 : Perfect Dark (for Nintendo 64)

1998 : Metal Gear Solid

Best PC Game

2006 : Spore

2005 : Spore

2004 : Chaos Theory

2003 : Half-Life 2

2002 : Doom 3

2001 : Star Wars Galaxies

2000 : Black and White

1999 : Freelancer

1998 : Half-Life

Best Handheld Game

2006 : Phantom Hourglass (for Nintendo DS)

2005 : Nintendogs (for Nintendo DS)

Special Commendation for Graphics or Sound

2005 : (G) ''Killzone PS3 (for PlayStation 3)

2004 : (G) Splinter Cell 3 (for PC)

2003 : (G) Half-Life 2 (for PC)

2002 : (S) Doom 3 (for PC)

2001 : (S) Allied Assault (for PC)

2000 : (G) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (for PlayStation)

1999 : (G) Freelancer (for PC)

1999 : (+S) Outcast (for PC)

1999 : (+S) Um Jammer Lammy (for PlayStation)

Best Action Game

2006 : Gears of War (for Xbox 360)

2005 : ''F.E.A.R. (for PC)

2004 : Halo 2 (for Xbox)

2003 : Half-Life 2 (for PC)

2002 : Doom 3 (for PC)

2001 : Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2 (for Nintendo GameCube)

2000 : Combat Evolved (for PC)

1999 : Team Fortress 2 (for PC)

1998 : Half-Life

Best Action/Adventure Game

2006 : Assassin's Creed (for Playstation 3)

2005 : The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (for Nintendo GameCube)

2004 : Splinter Cell 3 (for PC)

2003 : The Sands of Time (for all systems)

2002 : Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (for multiple systems)

2001 : Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (for PlayStation 2)

2000 : Escape From Monkey Island (for PC)

1999 : Oni (for PC)

1998 : Grim Fandango

Best Fighting Game

2006 : Heavenly Sword (for PlayStation 3)

2005 : Soul Calibur III (for PlayStation 2)

2004 : Def Jam: Fight for New York (all console systems)

2003 : Soul Calibur 2 (all console systems)

2002 : Tekken 4 (for PlayStation 2)

2001 : Super Smash Bros. Melee (for Nintendo GameCube)

2000 : Ultimate Fighting Championship (for Sega Dreamcast)

1999 : Soul Calibur (for Sega Dreamcast)

1998 : Tekken 3

Best Role Playing Game

(RPG)

2006 : Mass Effect (for Xbox 360)

2005 : Oblivion (for PC and Xbox 360)

2004 : Jade Empire (for Xbox)

2003 : Fable (for Xbox)

2002 : Neverwinter Nights (for computer">PC) [3

2001 : Neverwinter Nights (for PC) ^*

2000 : Neverwinter Nights (for PC) ^*

1999 : The Masquerade - Redemption (for PC)

1998 : Baldur's Gate

Best Racing Game

2006 : Excite Truck (for Wii)

2005 : Burnout Revenge (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox)

2004 : Burnout 3 (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox)

2003 : Gran Turismo 4 (for PlayStation 2)

2002 : Auto Modellista (for PlayStation 2)

2001 : A-Spec (for PlayStation 2)

2000 : Motor City (for PC)

1999 : Driver (for PlayStation, PC

1998 : Need For Speed 3

Best Simulation Game

(Combat, Flight, Non-Combat)

2006 : Spore (for PC)

2005 : Spore (for PC)

2004 : The Sims 2 (for PC)

2003 : Full Spectrum Warrior (for Xbox, PC)

2002 : The Sims Online (for PC) ^*

2001 : The Sims Online (for PC) ^*

2000 : Mechwarrior 4 (for PC)

1999 : (|F) Janes USAF (for PC)

1999 : (|N) Freelancer (for PC)

1998 : (|C) Fighter Legends

1998 : (|N) Railroad Tycoon 2

Best Sports Game

2006 : Wii Sports (for Wii)

2005 : Madden NFL 2006 (for all systems)

2004 : Madden NFL 2005 (for all systems)

2003 : Tony Hawk's Underground (all console systems)

2002 : NFL 2K3 (for multiple systems)

2001 : Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (for PlayStation 2)

2000 : Madden NFL 2001 (for PlayStation 2)

1999 : NFL 2K (for Sega Dreamcast)

1998 : John Madden Football 99

Best Strategy Game

(Real-Time or Turn-Based)

2006 : Supreme Commander (for PC)

2005 : Company of Heroes (for PC)

2004 : The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth (for PC)

2003 : Total War (for PC)

2002 : Command & Conquer Generals (for PC)

2001 : Age Of Mythology (for PC)

2000 : Black and White (for PC)

1999 : Homeworld (for PC)

1998 : (RTS) Homeworld

1998 : (turn-based) Alpha Centauri

Best Puzzle/Trivia/Parlor Game

2006 : Guitar Hero 2 (for PlayStation 2)

2005 : We Love Katamari (for PlayStation 2)

2004 : Jungle Beat (for Nintendo GameCube)

2003 : The EyeToy Games (for PlayStation 2)

2002 : Super Monkey Ball 2 (for Nintendo GameCube)

2001 : Pikmin (for Nintendo GameCube)

2000 : Samba de Amigo (for Sega Dreamcast)

1999 : Um Jammer Lammy (for PlayStation)

1998 : Sentinel Returns

Best Online Multiplayer

2006 : '' Quake Wars (for PC)

2005 : ''Battlefield 2 (for PC)

2004 : Halo 2 (for Xbox)

2003 : City of Heroes (for PC)

2002 : Star Wars Galaxies (for PC) ^*

2001 : Star Wars Galaxies (for PC) ^*

2000 : Neverwinter Nights (for PC)

1999 : Team Fortress 2 (for PC)

1998 : EverQuest

Best Peripheral/Hardware

(Console or PC)

2006 : Wii

2005 : PlayStation 3

2004 : PSP

2003 : EyeToy (for PlayStation 2)

2002 : WaveBird Wireless Controller (for Nintendo GameCube)

2001 : (PC) nVidia GeForce 3

2001 : (Console) Nintendo GameCube

2000 : (PC) nVidia GeForce 2

2000 : (Console) Xbox

1999 : (PC) nVidia RIVA TNT2

1999 : (Console) Sega Dreamcast

1998 : Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro

Winners of older awards

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Best Platformer

1999 : Donkey Kong 64 (for Nintendo 64)

Most Promising New Game

1998 : Homeworld

Best Booth

1999 : Electronic Arts ^*

1998 : Electronic Arts ^*

Best Party

1998 : Babylon 5

External links

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• Game Critics Awards homepage

Computer and video game awards | 1998 establishments | Game Critics Awards